Stand



Feb. 23, 1,937. P, A MAUN ET AL 2,071,887

STAND Original Filed July 11, 1934 INVENTORS Fla/r71 9. /7aZz z (e0 Domz'ne ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 23, 1937 STAND Application July 11, 1934, Serial No. 734,596 Renewed July 16, 1936 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in stands; it is an object of the invention to provide a stand consisting of a supporting base and a plurality of detachable legs the upper extremities of which extend above the base and are inwardly disposed to engage the sides of an article mounted upon the stand.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a stand wherein the legs engage the base intermediately of their height and are permitted limited movement relative thereto so that the weight of an article upon the base causes the upper ends of the legs to press inwardly against the periphery of the article and grip it.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a stand wherein each leg may be engaged in either of two positions by the base to grip the periphery of either larger or smaller articles of substantially regular contour; and wherein the legs may be irregularly set-that is at varying distances from the centre of the base-to engage the periphery of an article of irregular contour.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a stand which is cheap and simple to manufacture, and adapted to support articles of varying sizes and of either regular or irregular contour.

With these and other objects and advantages in view which will become apparent as the specification proceeds, the invention is hereinafter more fully described with the aid of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the stand showing the legs extending through the slots formed in the base.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the stand showing the legs extending through the openended recesses formed in the base.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing two legs.

extending through base slots and the other leg in engagement with a pair of the recesses. Figure 4 is a plan view of the base, and Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective View showing a portion of one leg and the base.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a triangular plate adjacent each corner of which a pair of aligned open-ended slots or recesses 2 are formed having a narrow neck between them; the portions 3 of the plate extending outwardly beyond these recesses Z are reduced in width so that they are only slightly wider than the spacing between the adjacent extremities of the recesses 2. The plate I is generally substantially in the form of an equilateral triangle and the recesses 2 are substantially parallel with the opposite side of the stand l. Formed through the latter inwardly from each pair of open-ended recesses 2 and parallel therewith are slots d. The legs 5, which are usually made of flat stock, are outwardly and upwardly curved at their lower extremities so that they may rest firmly upon the ground, and their upper extremities are inwardly flexed. Across the upper inturned edges of the legs 5 serrations or teeth 6 are formed. Intermediately of their height vertical slots 1 are formed through the legs 5, and extending across the inner face of each leg adjacent its slot 1 is an integral projection 3, which may be formed simultaneously with the punching of thesaid slot.

When it is desired to mount upon the stand an article of substantially regular yet small peripheral size, the legs 5 are inserted through the base slots i, and the inward leg projections 8 form bearings for the underside of the base I.,

The upper inturned extremities of the legs 5 then grip the sides of the article, such as the trunk of a Christmas tree A, as the width of the slots 4 are so proportioned relative to the said legs as to permit limited rocking movement of the latter. An opening 9 is provided through the base I for the passage of a screw iii or other fastening means to hold the tree upon the said base.

When the stand is no longer required as a Christmas tree support the legs 5 may be removed from the base slots l and by turning the said legs horizontally the base portions 3 of the stand may be inserted through the leg slots 1 to assume the positions shown in Figure 2 when turned vertically. The upper leg extremities will then engage the periphery of an article having a larger circumference such as the flower pot B. The leg projections 8 then again perform their functions as bearings for the base I.

Meanwhile if it is desired to support any noncircular article upon the base i, such as the tree C shown in Figure 3, one or more of the legs 5 may be inserted through the base slots A while the other leg or legs are in engagement with base recesses 2. For while limited lateral movement of the upper leg extremities is permitted by the width of the slots 4 and recesses 2 any article having any very marked variation in the lateral projection of its sides could not otherwise be successfully gripped by the upper extremities of the legs 5.

It may also be remarked that whereas reference has been made to the inward projections 8, it will be found that when the legs 5 are curved intermediately of their length substantially as shown in the drawing they will support a load upon the base without the assistance of these projections and without permitting the base to move downwardly.

While in the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and shown, it is understood that the construction is susceptible to such alterations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A stand comprising a flat-multi-sided base having opposed pairs of slots with narrow necks between them formed therein from its opposite margins adjacent each corner, in combination with legs each having a longitudinal slot formed therein intermediately of its length so that when each leg is placed parallel with the base one corner of the latter may be inserted through each leg slot until the inner side of the leg is engaged by the inner side of the base slot, the legs being then moved at right angles to the base so that the necks between the pairs of opposed base slots extend through the leg slots, and the outwardly projecting corners of the base extend beyond the slots to prevent detachment of the legs, said legs having inturned upper extremities to engage an article resting upon the base, and outwardly extending lower extremities to rest upon the ground.

2. A stand comprising the combination set forth in claim 1 wherein a slot somewhat larger thanthe cross section of one of the legs is formed through the base inwardly of and parallel to each pair of opposed base slots, each leg being longitudinally insertable through any one of said inwardly disposed slots, and base supporting means carried by each leg.

FRANK A. MALIN. LEO DOMINE. 

